Show NIGH PRICES IN LIMELIGHT RESOLUTION BEfORE L COMMITTEE PlANS A A. A SWEEPING INQUIRY Y WASHINGTON Feb 9 lug Jig the several resolutions introduced in the senate directing an investigation on into the cost of living the Republican l leaders aders in conference perfected that subject which was was resolution solution on a r later presented to the senate by Mr McCumber of North Dakota It was referred to the committee on an contingent contingent contin contino gent ent expenses which will consider the Question question of cost of conducting such an anin in inThe The resolution resolution bears the name of Senator Senator Senator Sen Sen- ator Elkins as author and embodies the tho principal features of the McCumber resolution as well as some of those contained contained con con- tamed in the one introduced by Mr Lod Lodge e. e Scope of Inquiry The inquiry is to be conducted by a select committee of eleven senators and it is planned to assemble all of the information information in information in in- formation possible bearing upon the increased in increased increased in- in creased cost of articles of food since 1900 and report if possible at the present session of congress In makin making the investigation it is 1 provided that special attention shall be given to the following subjects Wages salaries and e earnings s and whether the increase in them has kept pace Paco with the increase in in the cost or of living Increased price of such articles as meat melt grain provisions cotton wool clothing rents lumber co coal l iron oil brick and cement Price to the tho producer the wholesaler or jobber the retailer and the consumer which at h articles included in the investigation investigation gation were distributed ted and sold in in the year year 1900 and ands the then irice r ice for their disposition dis- dis 1 position positron at the present time Production and Distribution The cost of production of the articles mentioned antl the cost of their distribution distri distri- and sale when in the hands of the wholesaler of or r jobber and the retail retailer er cr between the same periods WhEt Whether er such articles have been increased in increased in- in creased in price mice by reason o of the increased increased in in- creased production of gold hout 1 the world and the expansion of the currency in the United States or by tariff tariff tar tar- iff of ot other legislation of con congress ess or by a m monopoly combination or conspiracy con- con sp to control and regulate or restrain restrain re rev strain interstate or fore foreign commerce inthe in inthe in inthe the supply distribution or sale of such articles The rho prices of food products o on on the farm in parts of the United States Wholesale prices of of such food prod products products prod prod- at the wholesale trade centers of the United States Retail prices of suc food products in inthe inthe the he lar larger er cities of the United States and nd also a comparative statement showing shown show- show in ing n tho costs of production on the f farm Power of Committee The committee is ordered to report to the he senate suggestions or ions as to the remedy to be applied to reduce educe the tho cost of living and accompany its ts report with drafts of hills bills of such legislation as will in the opinion of the committee correct and nd remove remove the causes auses which have enhanced t the e prices of f the necessaries of life An hour after Mr McCumber had presented the resolution from the finance finance fi- fi nance jance committee and it had been referred referred re- re erred to the tho committee on contingent expenses Mr Kean chairman of the theatter latter atter committee reported the measure back with a recommendation that it be adopted 11 Mr Stone t r. r objected to immediate coa- coa of the tho resolution and it went over until today Mr Crawford said that the important point joint was lyas to ascertain whether th there re had been an n increase In inv wages No one doubted he said that there had been a general increase in prices of food and other necessities of life |